Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-10-24

the PowderIy "Administration."
CHICAGO, Oct r4-Open war has been
declared upon the general executive board of
the knights of Labor by certain dissenters
from the action taken at the Minneapolis
convention. In returning from the conven-
tion about thirty-fve of the dissenting dele
gates stopped in Chicago fully discussed the
situation and determined to bring about a
reorganization of the order To this end
provisional committee OF five members was
appointed with Charles F. Seib as secretary.
This committee held several meetings to
formulate a plan of action, and finally de-
cided TO publish the following manifesto
dated at headquarters of the committee lSU
Washington street, this city, Oct 22, 1887,
and addressed to the rank and file of the
knights OF Labor:
"lndlgnant at the usurpation of power and
gross violation of the laws of our order by
those high in authority; disguised with those
whose loyalty to the present ring has been
gained by the pickinss they receive as n re-
ward for their services incensed at the tawn-
ing sycophants who crawl on their knees in
savish submission to the most corrupt, the
most hypocritict, the most autocratic and
labor organization; we therefore affirm the
motto of our order that when bad men COM
bine the good must associate, else they fall,
AN unpitied sacrifice in II contemplate strug-
gle'
ave assert that the hour has come when as
honest men and women we must declare our
selves independent of those who have abused
the confidence repoSed i'll them by our order.
Our duty to the working men and women
demands that We at once re-organize the
Knights of Labor on basis which will Sc
cure the autonomy of the trades and the
sovereignty of the districts in all pertaining
10 their trade and local affairs, and to pre-
vent it from being used in the future as
machine to fill the Golfers of designing and
unscrupulous men, as it is by those now in
power.
ave affirm the following to be the reasons
that have compelled this serious action on
our part;
"l-Tho general office has become a luxu-
rious haunt for men whose chief aim is to BEN
eft self, pecuniarily and otherwise, and is
no longer the Jerusalem of the humble and
honest knight.
'2-There has been for nearly a year (be-
ginning prior to the Richmond session. an
understanding which, for lack of a better
term, we call a conspiracy for the purpose
of holding the salaried positions, elective
and appointive, in and under the general as
semby
"3-This conspiracy has used the secret
channels and funds of the order to manufac-
ture sentiment for certain members and
against others Certain persons, sometimes
izers general Instructors and general
many other things have been paid extrava-
CANT sums, both as wages and expenses, VIII en-
their only work was to fix certain districts
The lobbyists of railroad corporations would
turn green with envy did they know the sn-
parlative excelency attained by these blood
suckers of the Knights of Labor.
"4-Organizers' commissions have been re-
fused to members who were known to dis
agree with the methods of the ring, though
the applications were endorsed by the district
assembly to which the applicant belonged,
and commissions were recalled because of the
refusal of the holders to fall down and wor-
ship the powers that be.
"5-District and local assemblies have been
suspended or expelled, and deprived of voice
in tho general assembly because they wers
known as opponents of the policy of the con-
sprators.
"6-C -Conspiracies have been matched against
dissenting members by the aid of corrupt
tools in the D A or L. A or both of such
members
1.-THE records of the general office have
been fixed and doctored so as to rule out or
admit, the might he, general assembly
representatives.
"s-Men have been admitted as delegates
to the general assembly who clearly had nc
| constitutional right to seats while others
were refused on tecbHicalities contrary to
| precedent and established custom In all
cases the test was for or against the ring.
'9-(Al Many thousands of dollars of the
| orders funds have been illegally expended,
| frequently against the earnest protests of hon.
| est and law-abiding members tiil Extrav-
| agant hotel bills contracted by the families
of general officer have been paid out of the or
der'S funds As have been family laundry and
| bar bills (C0 Funds have been donated and
loaned to officers end their friends for their
own personal use d. General officers, or
ganizers and lecturers have not only been
paid liberal salaries and allowed heavy ex-
penses from the general treasury, but have
charged additional Sums to the locals and dis
tricts
"iO-Hon est men, devoted to the cause of
labor, have been made the scapegOats of
laundering high officials, and driven in dis
grace from the movement
"l1-Efforts made by assemblies to better
their condition have been strangled by the
ring-it is charity to say for no meaner rea-
son than in response to the clamor of the
common enemy of labor.
"I2-The boycott has been used to in jure
the labor press union establishments and
the products of Knights of Labor and union
labor for the sole purpose of downing work.
ingmen and women who could not be used
by the conspiratOrs.
"13-Persons who were not members of the
order have been provided, for personal rea-
sons, with lucrative positions in the general
office
"14-The constitution has been altered In
an illegal manner; it has been tampered with,
and measures inimcal to the order at large
have been railroaded into what is called
law
"i5-War has been waged by the admins
tration ring against trades unions and trades
districts. The motto of the ring has been,
down with trades districts, exterminate the
trades unions This in spite of our obliga-
tion to extend helping hand to all branches
of honorable toll
"16-Nearly every important strike or
lockout in which the general officers have in
terfered has been lost
"17-As a result of this laundering, wishy-
washy incompetent and stupidity arbitrary
policy, the membership of the order has de-
creased 2l7, ,94 members in one year
@ls-In spite of the decrease of member
ship they have increased the annual expendi-
lures Of the general assembly to $500, 900.
"I9-There was no itemized account of re-
ceipts and expenditures issued, either quar-
terly as had formerly been the custom, or to
the general assembly.
'Z0-1n the general assembly arguments
were met with buncombe, gag law was re-
duced to a system by the use of the previous
question, outrageous decisions rendered, ap-
peals and protests ignored-all for the pur-
pose Of covering up the rascality of those in
power.
@All local and districts assemblies in accord
with the above declaration, or desiring in
formation will please address Charles F.
Seib, secretary provisional committee, $50
East Washington street, Chicago, ILL.,"
The President Home Again.
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct 2I.-Glad to get
home, but thoroughly delighted with their
long journey of 4, 500 miles, the president and
wife reachpd this citv Saturday norninO nv